27 June 2008

Big Baldy Hike

I made it to the top of big baldy this morning. I started at the trail head at 6:00 AM and made it to the summit at 8:15. Wow am I sore! The trail I took was only about 3.5 miles but it was straight up. No switch backs, no flat spots. Just straight up, and on the way back it was straight down. It was beautiful though. Big Baldy sits right below Mt. Timpanogos on the East side. When the trail curves around to the back side of Big Baldy you find yourself in a beautiful valley. Tempanogos towers above you on one side and Big Baldy stretches up on the other. I would have taken pictures, but I can't find our camera.

There was a lot of wildlife out this morning as well. I ran into all sorts of different birds, including something that looked like a mix between a pheasant and a turkey. It looked like a pheasant except it's tail fanned out when it took off. There was a blue jay on the very top of the the very tallest tree. Lots of insects were buzzing around by the time I got to the top. I met a black snake. I think we scared each other. I think it was just a garter snake, but I have never seen a black one before. I saw quite a few ground squirrels. I saw a large deer jump across the trail abut 100 yards in front of me. Then there was all the things I couldn't see. I could hear things moving around in the brush from time to time, but it wouldn't come out for me.

I have been looking at Big Baldy for the last six months. Ever since we moved here, I wake up each morning and look out our bedroom window at Big Baldy. Circumstances being as they have been I have not been able to make the climb until now. Well, that is not entirely true. I have started up the trail twice now, but have not had enough time to finish. I like to go hiking early in the morning before work, but that means I only have a few hours to hike.

Here is a map of the trail I took. You might have to zoom in a little bit to see the terrain better.

I had three pieces of limestone on my desk, but I was terrified to find that they required to be dusted daily, when the furniture of my mind was all undusted still, and threw them out the window in disgust. - HDT